Paul’s first missionary journey
Acts 13:1-2 “Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; Barnabas….and Saul.
As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, “Separate Me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.”
Now I want to mention here, that my husband….years ago….received that we all are “missionaries” in a sense. We all have a mission to perform to the Lord Jesus…we all are called to spread the gospel…by word, deed, and prayer.
We may not be called to foreign lands….or we may be. But the work of a missionary is to go to a people that we are called to….and preach the gospel….and make disciples of those we preach to.
Barnabas and Saul were in the church of Antioch….the place they were first called “Christians”, which means “little Christ”.
Saul, after his conversion had traveled back to Jerusalem….but the brothers there did not believe him….until a man named Barnabas brought him before the apostles “and declared how he had seen the Lord in the way.” (Acts 9:26-30)
Then he went home to Tarsus….always a good place to start any ministry….at home.
But then, when the gospel was being spread about….a church was made by the preaching of the Word, in Antioch.
Acts 11:21 “And the hand of the Lord was with them: and a great number believed, and turned unto the Lord.”
Barnabas was sent from Jerusalem, to encourage and exhort them….
Acts 11:23 “Who, when he came, and had seen the grace of God, was glad, and exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord.”
(And may I say that “with purpose of heart”….or with the willful actions of our hearts to the Lord…we too, should “cleave”…….be joined to the Lord. To stand with HIm, in all our thoughts and actions.)
But having come, Barnabas sees that this church needs more instruction in the Word….so he goes and gets Saul at Tarsus.
(Remember Saul/Paul has been raised in the Scriptures under a great teacher….and knew them well! How much the Lord Jesus had showed him concerning Himself, through those Old Testament scriptures is seen in how much Paul uses them in his letters and when he preaches)
This begins their ministry together….both at the church in Antioch….and on their first missionary journey to other places.
Acts 13:4-5 “So they (Barnabas and Saul), being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed unto Sleucia; and from thence they sailed to Cyprus…..and they had John to their minister.”
Having been sent by the Holy Spirit….they took John Mark as their helper. He was there to help them in prayer, and to see to the things they needed,…such as food and a place to rest.
He was not a preacher or teacher….simply, a helper, at this time. He needed to grow in grace, and learn from them….about the Word, and faith in the Lord.
We know they preached to the people, as they went…across the whole island…
…….but their first interactions with the authorities in Cyprus….was with a deputy of the country. (Acts 13:6-7)
He wanted to hear the Word of God!
(What an amazing thing….that after preaching for awhile, to be understood as preaching the Word of God!)
But here also was the first antagonist….a sorcerer, a false prophet, whose name was Elymus.
He “withstood” them. He was defying them and their “gospel”….wanting to keep this deputy under his control.
As one old preacher used to say:
“ Everyday we serve the Lord….and in every situation we enter….is to be seen as us traveling through enemy territory….and we should always be ready to give an answer to every man.”
We never know how things will turn. We always need to be prepared in the Word of God….and standing with the Lord…in all the circumstances we enter. Then we can know what to do….and how to do.
Acts 13:9 “Then Saul, (who also is called Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him,”
Now I want to say here….that there is a shift in the actions of Barnabas and Paul.
Barnabas had been leading, with Paul as back-up preacher….showing the Word of God and how it proved Jesus was the Christ of God.
But now, Paul, steps forward and looks this man right in the face. The Lord Jesus, Who knocked him down on the road to Damascus, was no weak or powerless man….but the Son of God…Who has all authority and power.
They were there because “God sent them”….and Paul was going to show the truth of this sorcerer…..so that the Word of God, this deputy wanted to hear….was not interfered with.
Acts 13:10-12 “And said, O full of all subtilty and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord?
And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun for a season. And immediately there fell on him a mist and a darkness; and he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand.
Then the deputy, when he saw what was done, believed, being astonished at the doctrine of the Lord.”
Let me say here….most “religions” that he had probably heard of were powerless rituals….but “the doctrine” this deputy believed was that Christ Jesus was indeed the Son of God, in charge of all His servants,….even poor servants going about preaching HIs Word.
When they left the island, they sailed to Perga in Asia Minor….and when they landed….John Mark left them and went back home to his mother’s house in Jerusalem!
This was another affliction, of a different kind.
One they had trusted and counted on to help them….deserted them, and the work of Jesus Christ!
(He was young, and they had been through some trials….but when he left, it was a real blow to them both.
Sadness must have come to Barnabas especially because John Mark was his nephew, his sister’s son. But both men felt this loss….
…..how much our ministries count….even when we do not think so!)
Neither Barnabas nor Paul mention this, now….but instead they concentrate on the ministry that God sent them on…more fervently preaching life, death, and the resurection of the Lord Jesus Christ.
They went from Perga up into Asia Minor….going into synagogues preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ….showing His salvation to all who will believe!
Acts 13:26, 28-30, 38-39 “Men and brethren,…and whosoever among you feareth God, to you is the word of this salvation sent.
And when they had fulfilled all that was written of Him (Christ Jesus), they took HIm down from the tree, and laid HIm in a sepulchre.
But God raised Him from the dead:
Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this Man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins:
And by Him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.”
(Envy is a terrible thing, and many….fought against the Word of God, because they saw that this “gospel” put all on equal footing….all sinners needing a Savior. But this does not please the self-righteous.
”But…stirred up the devout and honorable women, and the chief men of the city…and expelled them out of their coasts.” Acts 13:50)
Persecution came….and they were asked to leave…but many truly believed in the Lord, and a church was formed there.
In Iconium, they came and preached….
…..and, as it does everywhere….the gospel divided the city.
So much so, that there was a plot to stone them! So they fled to Lystra and Derbe, to the east in Asia Minor.
Here, a lame man, hearing the gospel, is healed….both spiritually and physically. This man had never walked….yet when Paul told him to stand, when he saw that he had been saved, receiving faith in Christ to be healed….this lame man stood and leaped!
But like people everywhere….with this miracle…they first wanted to worship Paul and Barnabas (though they preached Christ to them, to turn them from their idol worship)….
….then,….these very people were “persuaded”…by people who had come from Iconium to stone Paul!
Paul is stoned and dragged out of the city….believing him to be dead. “Howbeit, as the disciples stood round about him, he rose up and came into the city: and the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe” (Acts 14:20)
Notice that there are already disciples….some probably who had joined them from the other cities….some from Lystra….who were brave enough to come and stand with Paul and pray for him.
How great is the grace of God to us, if we yield to it! How much courage and strength the Holy Spirit gives as we yield to Him!
In the midst of the frenzied stoning of Paul….men stood up with him, and saw him come to, and rise on his feet…..and walked back into the city with him, under the eyes of the city!
How great our salvation is!
Barnabas and Paul went on to Derbe and preached there….”and taught many”. This is the commission from Christ….”Go and make disciples” (Matthew 28:19-20)
Then they turn around, go back to Lystra….then to Iconium, and to an Antioch in Pisidia:
Acts 14:22-23 “Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.
And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on Whom they believed.”
They continue down to Perga (where John Mark left them)….and they preached there, and then returned to Antioch….”from whence they had been recommended to the grace of God for the work which they fulfilled.” (Acts 14:26)
They fulfilled the work they had been called to. It was Paul’s first missionary journey…..there were two more before his imprisonment….and one to Spain between his first and second imprisonments, after which he was beheaded.
He learned that everywhere, there is the need of the Salvation of Jesus Christ…and the need for instruction in the Word….
……and that through trials, loss, persecution, and even threat of death…..the Lord is working His Will, as we will yield to it….in every place, in every circumstance.
Our work and ministry is the same…..we will meet with many trials, and losses, and persecution…and even threats of death…..
….yet the Lord is still the Salvation of all who will believe and receive Him. And the One who meets every need that comes up.
Preaching, Teaching, and Notes 